Telephone accessory



J; FLEISCHMAN. TELEPHONE ACCESSORY@ APPLlcAnoN FILED MAY 22, 1920.

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Patented June 3.39 i922.

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JOSEPH rLnrscI-IMAN, or NEW YORK, 1v. Y.

TELEPHONE ACCESSORY.

1,419,551. Specification 0f Letters Patent Patented J une 13, i922.

Application led May 22,

To all vii/0m t may concern Be it known that JosErH F LEisCI-IMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Telephone Accessories, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to telephone sets and is primarily concerned with desk telephone sets of the type designed to leave both hands of the user free for handling papers or performing other acts while telephoning.

Sets of the above type have not heretofore been installed by telephone companies, and separate accessories or attachments have accordingly been applied to standard telephone sets in some cases, for the specific purpose of rendering unnecessary the use of either of the hands for holding the receiver to the ear.

A preferred form of such accesso-ry is that shown in the patent to Maximilian l/Veil, No. 1,302,887 patented May 6th, 1919, hereinafter referred to as the lWeil accessory, in which the receiver is normally upon the receiver hook, and is removed therefrom., transported to and mounted upon a separate support when the telephone is to be used, binaurals preferably, serving to convey the sound to the ears. For disconnection, the above steps are performed in the reverse order, the receiver being replaced upon the receiver hook.

By my invention, l have provided a device which has its preferred application to use with the said YVeil accessory and has as one of its objects to render more convenient the use of said accessory by making it possible to establish and break telephone connection by a process much simpler, easier and quicker than that brieiiy set forth above.

In a preferred embodiment, my device comprises a simple unit which may be set by an extremely simple operation to restrain the signal lever or receiver hook in nonsignaling position independently of the receiver and which may be disposed b v another simple action to release the said signal lever or receiver hook to permit the latter to give the signal at the switchboard.

Although my device has its preferred 4use in connection with the Weil accessory 1920. Serial No. 333,445.

and renders it unnecessary in that apparatus to handle the receiver at all for establishing or breaking telephone connection, the device can be used to advantage in connection with any telephone set in which the receiver 1s not used for holding the signal lever in non-signaling position. In any such set, my device provides a simple and convenient means for holding the signal lever depressed when not in use and for permitting making` and breaking of telephone connection, all by the simplest of operations.

1n its preferred embodiment my device cooperates in a novel manner with telepho-ne sets of familiar constructions so that my invention resides not only in the device or accessory per se but also in the telephone set combined with my device.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which is sho-wn one of various possible embodiments of the several features of my invention, Fig. 1 shows my device in its preferred application to a telephone set equipped with the accessory of the Weil patent above referred to, Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary views of the set with my device thereon, at successive stages of operation and Fig. 4L shows the details of my device apart from each other.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings I have shown in Fig. 1 the usual form of desk telephone comprising a base 1, a post 2, a mouthpiece 3 and a signal lever or receiver hook 13 extending from the 'post and biased to signaling position. The receiver shown at 4c is mounted upon a support 5 having a passage 6 through which the sound is conveyed through binaurals i" to the ears of the user. The specific arrangement of the receiver upon the support 5 with the binaurals extending therefrom., taken by itself, is not my invention but is fully described in the patent to Weil above referred to. The detailed construction of the sound conveying passage indicated, need, therefore, not be set forth fully.

With the arrangement shown in the patent referred to, the user must remlove the receiver from the hook in the usual manner in order to give the signal to the operator and transport it to the support and place it in position thereon for enabling him to use the binaurals 7. For disconnecting, he must perform these steps in the reverse order, finally replacing the receiver upon the hook.

While preserving the convenience attained by the use of the W'eil accessory in leaving the hands free during the process of teleplioning, the use of my device materially enhances the convenience of connecting either for signaling the operator or answering a call, and of disconnecting when through.

ln its preferred form, my attachment comprises a member for holding the signal lever or receiver hook depressed independently of the receiver, the said member being preferably constructed and arranged so as to release the receiver hook in response to the simplest manual operation and to automatically hold it in non-signaling position preferably after the receiver hook is simply depressed.

My device preferably comprises a split ring having a pair of sections 8 9 pivOted together as at 10 and having their inner surfaces lined with rubber, leather, cork or other equivalent flexible material as at 11. Integral with the free ends of the clamping sections I provide a pair of semi-cylindrical lugs 12. rlhe sections of the split ring are preferably placed about the post 2, at a definite point below the signal lever or receiver hook 13 and the split ring is clamped in place upon the post by means of a sleeve 14 whichI has internal threads 1 5 to be screwed upon threads 1.6 formed on the lugs 12. The resilient lining of the split ring will be firmly compressed upon the post as the sleeve is threaded in position.

Preferably integral with the free end of the sleeve 14 and coaxial therewith there is formed a pivot pin 17 which supports a holding member 18 for the `signal lever, the pin fitting into a pivot hole 1.9 in said member. IThe pivot pin is internally threaded as at 2O for `cooperation with a screw 21, the head 22 of which yserves to maintain the holding member in position upon its pivot.

rlhe holding member preferably consists of an integral casting having a hook portion 23 at one side of the pivot hole 21 and a weighted portion 24 to the opposite side thereof, the weighted portion terminating preferably in a flared finger piece 25. rlhe hook portion is preferably L-shaped and the uppermost edge thereof is preferably tapered as at 26 toward the point of the hook for a purpose rendered clear below` l have shown a line A-A in Fig. 4 extending centrally through the pivot hole 19 and parallel to the shank of the hook. This line, l designate the longitudinal axis of the member. The weighted portion 24 is preferably provided with a bulge 27 extending to the saine side of the longitudinal axis A-A as does the hook 2,3 and the lparts are so designed that the center of gravity of the casting is within the said bulge. The holding member is thereby biased to operative position, for, when allowed to hang freely upon its pivot and the center of gravity of the member moves to a position vertically below the pivot, it will be apparent that the hook portion will be inclined forwardly into the path of the signal lever as best shown in Fig. 2. By preference the holding surface of the hook is roughened as at 28 for providing a satisfactory gripping surface.

Viith the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the receiver 4 need not be handled at all for calling, answeringor disconnecting, but may be left permanently upon support 5 as shown in Fig. 1. Then it is desired to call. a number the user having applied the binaurals 7, simply touches the finger piece 25 whereupon the receiver hook will immediately be released and will move upwardly to give the signal in the well known manner. rlhe holding device being thus freed assumes substantially the position shown in Fig. 2, .the signal lever being in the upper position indicated in dotted lines. When the user wishes to disconnect he simply depresses the receiver hook. As the latter comes into contact with the uppermost inclined surface 26 on the hook, said hook will be thrown about pin 17 by a camming action and lout of the path of the signal lever. 1When the signal lever has been depressed to its limit and fs thus disengaged from the holding hook, the latter will automatically return about its pivot to the position shown in Fig. 2 by reason of the weighted portion 24, and when the pressure of the hand is now taken off the signal lever, the latter will move upwardly slightly until its upper surface is in face to face Contact with the roughened face 28 of the holding hook as shown in Fig. 3, and the signal lever is .then retained or held in non-signaling position.

The improved system shown in Fig. 1 thus operates with a minimum of inconvenience. For giving a signal to the operator after the binaurals have been applied, the finger piece 24 on the holding member ris simply depressed by a light touch, allowing the'signal lever to rise. During the vcall the hands are left entirely free. In order to disconnect, the signal lever or receiver hook is simply depressed and it will be automatiparent that other means could be employed within the scope of my invention, for disposing it in proper position relative to the si nal lever.

Iy device is preferably used in the specific relation described, but it will be understood that the same is of broad application for restraining and permitting release of the signal lever in any telephone set in which the receiver is not employed for this general purpose. Although, in general, my device is applied to the ordinary desk telephone, when used in connection with an accessory such as that of the Weil patent above referred to or some other accessory or attachment for leaving the hands free While telephoning, it will be understood that the attachment can be applied to telephone sets generally. It could be used to advantage, for instance, in a system in which the signal lever is independent of the receiver hook regardless whether or not means are provided to leave the hands of the user free while telephoning.

I claim:

l. In a telephone set, in combination, a receiver hook, a holding hook therefor having a fixed pivot below said receiver hook, said hook having a weighted portion below said pivot to bias the same to operative position and an inclined uppermost edge whereby the receiver hook may be released by light pressure upon said weighted portion and be returned to and retained in non-signaling position by simple depression thereof.

2. In a telephone set, in combination, a receiver hook, an integral holding member therefor having a fixed pivot below said recevier hook, a hook portion above said pivot having an inclined uppermost edge, said holding member further including a weighted. portion below said pivot having a finger piece at its end, whereby upon touching said linger piece the receiver hook will be rcleased and upon simply depressing said receiver hook the same will be held in depressed position.

3. In a desk telephone set, in combination, a mouth-piece carrying post, a receiver hook extending therefrom, a restraining attachment for said hook comprising a split ring clamped about said post, a holding hook having a pivot secured to said ring, said hook having a weighted portion below said pivot to bias the same to holding position and having an inclined uppermost edge whereby upon depression of said receiver hook, said holding hook will be pushed aside about its pivot, whereupon said weighted portion becomes effective to urge the same into position for holding said receiver hook in nonsignaling position.

4. In a desk telephone set, in combination, a post carrying a transmitter and having a receiver hook extending therefrom, a split ring having a. resilient lining, a member for clamping said ring to said post, a. pivot upon said member, a holding hook supported by said pivot, said hook having a weighted portion as and for the purpose described.

5. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for desk telephones comprising a split ring having integral lugs at the free ends of its sections, a sleeve encircling said lugs, a pivot pin concentric with said sleeve, and a hook pivoted to said pin.

6. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for desk telephones comprising a split ring having integral substantially semi-cylindrical lugs at its free ends, a sleeve threaded upon said lugs for clamping said ring in position, a pivot pin concentric with said sleeve, a holding hook pivoted about said pin, and a screw extending axially of said pin for retaining said hook in place upon its said pivot.

7. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for desk telephones comprising a split ring having integral semi-cylindrical lugs at its free ends, a sleeve threaded upon said lugs, a pivot pin concentric with said sleeve, a holding hook pivoted above said pin, and a screw extending axially of said pin for maintaining said hook in place thereon, said hook comprising a weighted portion below said pivot pin and having its uppermost edge inclined toward the free end of said hook.

8. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for desk telephones comprising a split ring having' integral semi-cylindrical lugs at its free ends, a sleeve threaded upon said lugs and having' an integral pivot pin at its outer end, a holding hook pivoted upon said pin, and a screw threaded into said pin to maintain said hook in place, said hook having a weighted portion below said pin.

9. As an article of manufacture, a holding member for a receiver hook comprising an integral piece having a pivot,` a hook element to one side of said pivot and a weighted portion to the opposite side of said pivot, the center of gravity of said weighted portion and the bend of said hook being both to one side of the longitudinal axis of said holding member.

l0. As an article of manufacture, a holding member for a telephone receiver hook comprising an integral metal piece having a pivot hole intermediate its ends, an L-shaped hook to one side of said pivot hole having its uppermost surface inclined toward the free end of said hook, said member having a weighted part to the other side of said pivot hole, said weighted part having a bulge extending to the same side of the longitudinal axis of said member as said hook, and having an integral nger piece at its free end.

l1. In a desk set for telephones having a vertical post for supporting a mouthpiece and ya -signal member extending from said said hook, whereby said signal member may post, the combination of a restraining debe released for giving a signal by simply vice Jfor said signal member comprising a depressing said weighted portion, and wheresplit ring clamped about said post, an inby said signal member may be restored and l5 tegral holding member pivoted to said ring, retained in non-signaling position by simply said member comprising an l.,shaped hook depressing the same.

portion extending above said pivot and liav- Signed at New York city, in the county of ing an inclined uppermost edge and a New York and State of New York this 18th weighted portion extending below said pivot` day of May, 1920.

said weighted portion having a substantial bulge toward the same side of said pivot as JOSEPH FLEISCHMAN. 

